


Like, Totally Freak Me Out

by LaLainaJ



Series: Make Some Noise [127]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bring It On Inspired, F/M, klarolineauweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 17:05:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12462129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaLainaJ/pseuds/LaLainaJ
Summary: When Caroline puts her foot down with her squad they're not happy. She doesn't care because Rebekah Mikaelson's going to help her win shiny trophys. Rebekah's (distractingly hot) older brother/Caroline's new lab partner informs her that Rebekah's having second thoughts. Caroline finagles his help in changing Rebekah's mind.





	Like, Totally Freak Me Out

**Like, Totally Freak Me Out**

**(Prompt: Bring It On AU. Title from the movie. Rated K+)**

The halls are nearly empty when Caroline walks in the front doors. A quick glance at her phone has her picking up the pace. Thank god she'd worn flats today.

Caroline would have given just about anything to have slept in and blown off AP Chemistry. Her phone had kept her up all night, the cheer squad group chat a never ending fight. Old grudges were brought up (seriously old, like second grade playground accident old) and abundant petty digs were thrown, despite the fact that a decision had been made and the endless chat bubbles weren't going to change Caroline's mind.

She'd known the squad her  _entire_  life. You'd think they'd have figured out not to mess with her when she'd decided on something but, to be fair, none of them had been selected for their brains. As their newest member had pointed out yesterday, cheering wasn't exactly taxing on the neurons.

That little remark might have been part of the reason Caroline had made the call. Rebekah Mikaelson was only a sophomore but she'd stared down a table full of juniors and seniors without a hint of nerves, her chin up and voice cool. Caroline couldn't help but admire the poise. And then the girl had pulled out a flawless tumbling pass that was well beyond the gymnastics the squad's routines required. She'd been one of the better dancers when they'd split the girls up into groups too. Her vocals were a little weak and they'd have to work on wiping the faintly embarrassed expression from her face while she performed but, all in all, Rebekah was a better candidate than Caroline had dared hope for considering the last minute scramble they were stuck doing all because Sophie was a moron who'd gotten sloppy drunk and broken her ankle.

Rebekah was in, she'd decreed, when they'd dismissed the last of the hopefuls. She'd gotten some pushback but there was no way the teeny freshman minion of Vicki Donovan's was better. Yeah, they could toss the girl to the rafters but she had zero personality. Vicki was bitter about not being captain and Caroline had been  _trying_  not to rub her victory in her face. Apparently her attempts at civility had made Vicki think her opinion was important.

Which sucked for her because Caroline was 100% done being nice.

Ok fine. She usually only managed to be nice-ish (on a good day) but pushovers weren't winners and Caroline had her eye on ending her senior year with a big freaking trophy in her hand. Rebekah had been a little snotty but she could move. They could work on the rest of it.

She'd stopped responding to the chat sometime around midnight but her curiosity had gotten the better of her over and over again. She'd silenced her phone and shoved it in the back of her nightstand but that hadn't helped for long. Caroline had tossed and turned and done her best to resist temptation.

For about an hour.

Vicki had still been at it when she'd fished her phone out, complaining and railing about how Caroline had clearly lost her mind. Caroline had made careful note of who was encouraging the raving (keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that) and hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep.

In the morning she'd abused her snooze button, rolled out of bed at the very last second. If it were any other teacher she might have taken her chances and skipped but Mrs. Herbert was exactly the sort of busy body to go out of her way and corner Caroline's mom at the grocery store and rat out her second day of school truancy. It was  _way_  too early in the semester for an awkward dinner of pointed perp stares and stern lectures so Caroline had no choice but to make an appearance in class.

Caroline darts into the room just before the bell rings, offering a saccharine smile to the disapproving teacher. All the seats at the lab are occupied save for one in the back corner. She usually likes to sit nearer to the front but it was her own fault for taking the extra time to curl her hair.

As she makes her way to the back, spies the unfamiliar boy who's going to be sharing the table with her she mentally pats herself on the back for the effort.

He was  _cute_.

Stefan hadn't managed to last a whole weekend away at college without cheating on her (and thanks Valerie from summer camp for tagging the photo of them making out on Facebook so Caroline could see it). Caroline had spent a weekend cloistered in her bedroom with Bonnie and Elena and Ben and Jerry and Jose and The Captain. She'd had a good wallow, cried and raged and burned every stupid present Stefan had ever given her (watching that snow globe melt like the cheap bit of junk it was had been particularly satisfying).

It had been cathartic and Caroline was ready to have fun her senior year.

This guy, with his full lips and dark blue eyes (currently locked on her with a healthy hint of interest), certainly looked like  _fun_.

Mrs. Herbert begins her lecture as Caroline settles into her seat. She flips open her notebook and jots down a few notes though it quickly becomes obvious that she doesn't need to bother.

Caroline was way ahead on her assigned reading, had wanted to get a head start because she's planned on personally training the new cheer squad member. Mrs. Herbert's words were straight from the text and her voice was a sleep inducing monotone.

Ugh, maybe she  _should_  have slept in.

She pushes that thought away when a small square of paper lands in her field of vision. She lifts a brow turning to look at her table mate. He's not looking at her, focused on his own notebook though he's drawing not taking notes.

Curious, Caroline unfolds the paper. His scrawl is neat, actually legible unlike most of the boys of her acquaintance.

_Would you like to be lab partners?_

She strives to keep her expression neutral as she considers her response. She tilts her head slightly to the side so she can see him in her peripheral vision, thinks she catches a hint of a smile on his face.

Caroline had to admit that she finds the direct approach refreshing.

Still, no need to make it  _too_  easy.

 _That depends_ , she writes,  _will you torpedo my GPA? I'm banking on some kick ass scholarships to get me out of this town._

She folds the paper carefully and tosses it back, listens intently enough to hear the tiny scoff he emits when he reads her words. His reply comes quickly and is equally to the point.

_I assure you I am quite competent._

She's just bending to reply when she tunes back in to what Mrs. Herbert is saying. They're being instructed to break off into pairs, told that the person next to them will be their assigned lab partner. Caroline supposes she's stuck with Cute and Forward and that she doesn't really mind.

Fingers crossed he wasn't an idiot.

She spins on her stool to face him. He offers her a hand, formal, and she's a little charmed by the gesture (and by the hint of a dimple she spies when he offers her a real smile). "I'm Klaus. I suppose I should be thankful for your late arrival."

She struggles not to react to the accent. Because  _sa-woon_. It's probably lucky that she'd heard a similar one just yesterday, though it's far more appealing from his full lips. "Oh, you must be related to Rebekah!"

He looks puzzled for a moment and then something like dread creeps into his expression, "You're not one of the awful cheerleaders she was nattering on about yesterday, are you?"

Caroline bristles, " _I_  was not awful. I'll acknowledge that some of my squad was less than welcoming but they fear change. They'll get over it."

"No need," Klaus says, seemingly unconcerned. "Rebekah's come to her senses."

Caroline did  _not_  like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"She's working on convincing our mother to drive her to Richmond twice a week so she can train in a proper gym there. It'll only be for a year or so until she gets her license and Bekah can usually annoy just about anyone into submission so I imagine she won't be needing  _cheerleading_."

She's not super impressed with the snideness but Caroline has a more pressing concern. If he was one of those 'cheerleading isn't a real sport' guys she'd cure him of that later. The news that Rebekah was reconsidering joining her squad was not good. Not good at all. "I  _need_  her," Caroline blurts out. "I fought for her. I have a flyer down and she's my best option for a replacement."

"Sorry, love. She seems resolved." Klaus shrugs, clearly not sensing her urgency. Until Caroline snatches his pencil out of his hand when he makes to return to his sketch. Could he not sense she was in  _crisis_?

"Listen," Caroline says, speaking quietly but forcefully. A few people glance over but one harsh glare from her and they're turning away.

Klaus notices, "Impressive."

Caroline will take that as a compliment. "I don't know if cheerleading is a thing where you're from. But here? It's a big freaking deal. We're the best, have been for years. I intend to keep it that way and being the best means I  _need_  the best on my team."

"I'm not the person you need to convince," Klaus points out.

"Where's her locker?"

"Not sure."

Caroline draws in a calming breath. "You have a phone, don't you? Text her and ask."

Klaus fingers drum on the tabletop as he considers her. There's a calculating glint in his eyes and Caroline braces herself for a refusal. She wouldn't accept, of course, but she mentally lists a few angles in preparation.

If only she'd worn a sluttier top this morning.

"I'm also not sure it's particularly brotherly of me to let you ambush my baby sister," Klaus says.

"Oh, please, I've already met her, remember? A delicate flower Rebekah is not."

Klaus inclines his head. "What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?" Caroline asks suspiciously. "If it's something pervy I  _will_  stab you with this pencil. My mother,  _the sheriff_ , will totally back me up if I tell her you were sexually harassing me."

Klaus appears mildly offended. "I was just going to ask your name. Anything else I'll earn."

"It's Caroline," she tells him, only slightly grudging.

"It's lovely to meet you, Caroline," Klaus murmurs before sneaking a glance at the teacher. "Just give me a moment." He leans forward in his seat, fishing out his phone and keeping it out of sight below the table as he taps out a text message.

She kind of wants to toss out something snarky about his ego, his overconfidence, but she refrains. She's fairly certain that she'd end up a liar.


End file.
